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Rand Aid News
Snooker league comes to Thornhill
The first Retirement Snooker League competition to be played at Thornhill took
place last month with the home team taking an early lead by winning the first
doubles match against Bedfordview’s Arbor Village, League Champions in 2011,
2015 and 2016.
The atmosphere was the most electric ever experienced in the snooker room’s
two-month history. The sound of silence was personified as each shot was played
in the subsequent three games. Bated breath and intense concentration were the
order of the day as each player settled to play his or her shot and a sense of keen
anticipation pervaded the room.
Unfortunately, the subsequent results did not mirror the success of the initial
game. Thornhill Manor did not manage another win in either of the singles or
the second doubles games. The latter, the last game of the day, saw Arbor taking
an early – and commanding – lead but Thornhill made a spirited come-back with
some canny snookers and studied tactical play. It seemed almost certain that
Thornhill would take the game, but some highly accurate potting enabled Arbor
to run out the winners on the day.
The Retirement League involves a number of retirement villages around the near
East Rand. Thornhill Manor was introduced to the league through a close rela-
tionship with snooker players at its sister village Elphin Lodge in Lyndhurst.
From an initial six snooker enthusiasts, the number of Thornhill residents using
the new table now number over 20 with some thought being given to starting a
beginner’s class. For more information about Thornhill Manor or a private chat,
visit Rand Aid’s web page at www.randaid.co.za or call Jackie or Esmé on 011 608
2480.
Al and Di Zylstra at Thornhill’s
Valentine’s Day dinner
Thornhill Retirement Snooker League
team: Back row: Rudy Waage, Dave
Webster and Harry Pearson. Front row:
Don Gaynham, Alan Bird and Clive Locke.